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The book covers these topics and more:

HTTP Protocal (Basic summary of how the web works)
URLs (Each part and what they do)
CGI (What it is, and how to use it)
Processing HTML Forms with CGI
CGI.pm for Perl (Including other options)
HTML Templates
Javasctipt
Security (Very Important)
Sending Email
Data Persistence (Making text files, Using SQL & Databases)
Maintaining State (Cookies, Hidden Fields, URL)
Web Searching
Creating Graphics with Perl & GD
XML Intro, Parsing XML
Debugging
Tips for Better CGI Applications
Efficiency and Optimization

Everything you need to get started for building web based applications is available in this book. It is a great introduction to other technologies as well as Perl & CGI. Basic things a begginer would want to learn how to do (Send Email, Process Forms, Maintain State, Data Persistance) is included here. However, this book is quite old. I suppose because of the proliferation of mod_perl, PHP, and others technologies, that this book has yet to be updated. I find it useful currently in its old state, but I am sure updates could be provided, obviously in places where other technologies are referenced and described as alternatives to CGI with Perl.